


Shattered Truths

by Karinakamichi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Bonding, Family, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-01
Updated: 2013-10-01
Packaged: 2017-12-28 03:02:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/986900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karinakamichi/pseuds/Karinakamichi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Team Seven's return from the Land of Waves, Naruto becomes depressed as he remembers his last conversation with Haku. Childhood memories begin to haunt him, and his teammates are informed of his past. They promise to make up for the way they had treated him. Naruto's father is revealed. How will this event change the original story? AU Story line. R&R. Submit a Character.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Story:** **_Shattered Truths, Chapter 1_ **

**Summary:** **_After Team Seven's return from the Land of Waves, Naruto becomes depressed as he remembers his last conversation with Haku. Childhood memories begin to haunt him._ **

**Disclaimer:** **_I don't own Naruto_ **

* * *

_Konoha Gates_

Approaching the gates, Naruto jumped ahead.

"I'm starved!" He proclaimed. "Sakura-chan, d-do you want to go on a date later? I'll pay for dinner."

"Why the hell would I want to eat with _you_?" Sakura jeered.

"Forget it...I'll catch you guys later!" Naruto shouted, as he ran off.

_'That's strange..._ ' Sakura noted, as she watched him running. She had noticed he had given up too quickly after she turned down his offer. Ever since Haku's death, Naruto had been acting somewhat _strange_. She pondered it for a second but decided to forget about it. Kakashi and Sasuke seemed to notice as well, but didn't think that much of it either.

"I've gotta go give my report on the mission. Make sure to meet me at bridge tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM sharp. Well, bye bye now." Kakashi said, disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Sakura sighed, but then wondered if Sasuke was still there.

"Sasuke-kun, I..." She trailed off into silence, as she looked behind her. Discovering he was gone, she screamed so loud, it caused a flock of birds to fly off.

_Ichiraku Ramen Shop_

"One bowl of Spicy Pork Miso!" Naruto grinned.

"You got it!" said Teuchi, then paused, as though he'd remembered something.

"Say, didn't you just get back from a mission?" he wanted to know. Naruto looked up at him, and smiled.

"Yeah, I did."

"Tell ya what, I'm gonna give you another bowl for free! Take it as a compliment for completing your first mission." Teuchi said, chuckling, as Naruto's smile was even bigger now.

"Now that's what I talking about!" He exclaimed. Ayame giggled, as she got the ingredients for the ramen.

"If it isn't Naruto. I thought I might find you here." someone said from outside. Naruto looked behind him curiously, recognizing the voice, for it was unmistakable.

"Iruka-Sensei!"

"I was gonna ask how your mission went." Iruka explained, taking a seat.

"Oh," Naruto said smiply. "Okay."

He told Iruka about Zabuza and Haku, the battle at the bridge, Tazuna, Inari and everything else. He had finished off the first bowl, and started on the second. Iruka studied him, chuckling.

"It sounds like you had good time." He assumed. Naruto nodded.

"Haku was alot like me..." Naruto noted, as he stared down at his bowl. "Even though he had parents in the beginning, he ended up on the streets, with no friends. Nobody wanted him, nobody liked him... He was like an unwanted child. Zabuza was the first one to show him any kind of acknowledgement. After that, he decided that was his life's purpose, was to serve Zabuza...If we would've met each other somewhere else, I think we could've became friends..."

What Naruto said left Iruka speechless, for he didn't really know _what_ to say. Naruto finished off the second bowl, deciding he was full. Iruka cocked an eyebrow at the fact Naruto had already decided he was full. He usually gobbled down three or four bowls before claiming was stuffed. ' _That's strange_...' he thought.

"You're already full?"

"Yup." Naruto answered, taking out his froggy coin purse to pay for his food.

"I'll pay." Iruka offered, as he stopped him and asked for the bill. When Teuchi showed it to him, Iruka gave him the money to cover it.

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei." Naruto smiled. Iruka nodded, saying it was fine. They talked a little while longer, before getting up to leave.

"I'll see you later, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto shouted, waving as he ran off. Iruka chuckled, watching him run _.'You'll become a wonderful ninja, Naruto... I believe in you...'_ he thought to himself.

_Naruto's Apartment_

Laying on his bed, Naruto pondered Haku's last conversation with him.

_*Flashback_ *

_"My purpose...in all the world...there was no one that needed me...I was unnecessary..."Haku said. Naruto's eyes widened. 'Just like me...'he thought._

_"Why is it you're so determined to become Hokage? Because you want everyone to look up to you and acknowledge your existence...It's only through the eyes of others that our life has meaning. When there is no body who sees you, nobody who will even look at you, it's as if you do not exist_. _Then Zabuza came and looked at me, his eyes weren't full of hate nor fear...He didn't shun me for my strength. Indeed my special powers were just what he wanted. He made me necessary again..." Haku said, sadly._

_'I have failed you Zabuza...I am like a broken tool that can no longer be used...' He thought, walking towards Naruto, who backed up in fear._

_"Naruto...Kill me." he said, sternly._

_*End of flashback.*_

"He was a lot like me..." Naruto said to himself. "I wish we could've became friends...I could've helped him...I had the same experiences as him. I was criticized, glared at, I had no friends, no purpose. Most people wouldn't even look at me...until Iruka-Sensei came along. Could I have turned out like him...? I wonder..."

Naruto stared at some of the insults that villagers had painted all over the walls. There were insults like _'Demon' 'Monster' or 'Beast_.' He smiled sadly, remembering how the children use to stay away from him. He would always set in the swing by himself. No one ever wanted to play with him...

Holding back tears, he remembered the things different people had said to him in the past.

_"Daddy, who's that?" A boy asked._

_"He's a Demon. get away from him." A man said, holding the boy's hand, as he pulled him away._

_"You filthy wretch, stay away from my child!" A woman screamed, as she slapped the young blond._

_"Can you imagine what would happen if he became a ninja? I mean, he's the-" A girl whispered, only to be interrupted by another._

_"Shh, were not suppose to talk about that."_

_"Nobody wants you!" A man spat, slamming the door in Naruto's face._

_"Why don't you just go and die!?"_

_"Monster!_

_"Get lost!"_

"I won't let this stuff get to me!" Naruto shouted. "No...I _can't_ let it get to me..."

He made his way to the kitchen to get some water. While drinking it, he started to realize how thirsty he really was. He hadn't drank anything all day, due to just getting back from the wave mission. Throwing his cup in the sink, he walked back to his bedroom. As he sat down he tried to think of positive stuff, rather than negative. With no success, he lied down. Soon after, he fell asleep, with one thing on his mind. The thoughts of his battle with Haku.

_-The Next Morning-_

_Naruto's Apartment_

Falling of the bed, Naruto hit his head on the corner of the dresser. He sat up, holding his head as he whined.

"Ow...That hurt..."

Looking out the window, he noticed it was still dark. It was only about 4:00 AM. He sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.

"There's no point in going back to bed..." he grumbled, as he got up. Turning on the light, he undressed, throwing his pajamas on the floor. He put on his orange jumpsuit and made his way to the kitchen, but didn't eat. He wasn't in the mood to eat much of anything, so he sat at the table, day dreaming for about five minutes before deciding to take a walk. Getting up from the table, he walked outside and stood there for several minutes. Then he headed towards the bridge.

Along the way, he passed a drunk man, who knocked him down. The man dropped the bottle that he had been holding. The glass shattered, and pieces flew everywhere.

"Heyyy youuu, waatch where you're gooooing..." The man slurred, as he tried to get up.

"Yeah, yeah..." Naruto muttered, as he walked off, leaving the drunk man on the ground.

_At The Bridge_

Naruto leaned against the railing of the bridge, as he gazed up at the sky. Seeing the stars, he gave a small smile. ' _Such a peaceful morning..._ ' He noted. Then the thoughts from the day before were flooding his mind again. He had tried his best to forget them, but the thoughts wouldn't go away. If anything, trying to forget it made him remember it even more. The thoughts he'd had the day before made him _wonder_. Now they were upsetting him.

Naruto set down against the railing, holding his knees against his chest. He spent the next thirty to forty minutes watching the Sunrise. The sun was about half way up meaning it was somewhere from 6:45 to 7:30 am. Finally, he broke the silence with a loud sigh. _'I wish we could've became friends...'_ was he final thoughts, before his teammates arrived thirty minutes later. He saw them in the corner of his eyes. Getting up, he waved at Sakura, who surprisingly waved back. Sasuke only sneered and looked away.

"How long have you been here?" Sakura wanted to know.

"Since about 5:20 to 5:30 AM." Naruto answered. Sakura raised an eyebrow, for she never would've expected Naruto to actually wake up _that early_.

"Why were you up that early?" She questioned, worryingly.

"I fell off my bed..." Naruto muttered, getting a smirk from Sasuke. Naruto shot him a glare that caused him to scowl. Sakura observed both of them, immediately knowing what was going to happen next. ' _Here we go again..._ ' she thought, sighing.

"Something funny, _Sasuke_?" Naruto hissed.

"Why can't you two get along?" Sakura nagged. Naruto and Sasuke's ears twitched, and their glare grew even more vicious than before.

"WHAT?! With _him_? There's NO way I could get along with something like _Sasuke_!" Naruto retorted.

"The only reason you can't get along with me, is because you're jealous...You know it's true...I'm stronger, and smarter than you'll ever be...You're just a insolent, loudmouthed idiot that does things with out thinking...You're impulsive, and annoying...You're just like Sakura, you only get in the way." Sasuke said, simply. Naruto looked at the ground, clinching his fists. He knew everything Sasuke had said was true. But he wouldn't allow Sasuke to bad mouth Sakura. That was going _too_ far _._

"I don't care what you have to say about me...but don't dare insult Sakura-chan!" Naruto said. Sakura looked at Naruto in shock. _He actually cares?_ She wondered.

"And what if I do?" Sasuke asked, calmly.

"You'll regret it..." Naruto warned.

"Why would I regret telling the truth? Actually, the only thing I've ever 'regretted' is being on your team."

Naruto clenched his fists, deciding what to do. _Should I kick his ass, or should I keep my mouth shut?_ He asked himself. He suddenly felt the urge to do the smart thing. To not get involved in an argument.

"Forget this, I'm not wasting my time, arguing with a jerk like you. It's not worth it." Naruto decided, as he leaned against the railing of the bridge. Sasuke cocked an eyebrow. _Was Naruto actually giving in?_ Sakura had noticed this as well. She couldn't believe it. Naruto would _never_ give in, especially not while arguing with Sasuke, _so why...?_

Kakashi suddenly appeared in a cloud of smoke, on the rail behind Naruto, interrupting everyone's thoughts. "Yo."

Sakura and Naruto faced him, with a demonic look in their eyes.

"YOU'RE LATE!" They shouted in unison, pointing at him with their index finger. Sasuke scowled, looking away, an obvious irritated look in his eyes. "Hmph." he grunted.

"Sorry guys, I'm afraid I got lost on the-"

"THAT'S A LIE!" Sakura and Naruto exclaimed, interrupting him. Kakashi sighed, as he gave in. ' _I didn't even get to finish my sentence...'_ He thought, pretending to sulk _._

"Sensei, what are we doing today?" Sakura asked, curiously.

"For starters, Iruka has asked for some help. A few of his students have hid somewhere in the village and he needs you to find them. You'll meet up with Iruka at the Ninja Academy. Be sure to report back to me after you're done, even if you can't find them. See you later." Kakashi explained, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

"Come on, let's get this over with." Sasuke muttered, as he began to walk ahead. Sakura followed behind, but Naruto was left behind, staring at the ground with thoughtful eyes. Again, he was day dreaming about the loneliness and pain he had been through as a child. Everyday had been a struggle for him, until someone finally excepted him for who he was. Iruka was his first friend. He would gladly give his own life to save Iruka. Haku had felt that way about Zabuza and _did_ sacrifice himself.

Sakura looked back, surprised to see to see Naruto just standing there. She saw his usual icy blue eyes were now cold, dark, and filled with sadness.

"Wait." Sakura whispered. Sasuke grumbled, but decided to stop. He turned around shocked. He had never seen Naruto look so depressed. He was always so happy. He was always smiling. But now he looked as if he was on the edge of breaking down. Sakura slowly walked over to Naruto, hoping she wouldn't startle him.

"Naruto...?"

Naruto quickly looked up, at the sound of her voice. Darting back, He prepared to grab a Kunai, when he saw who it was.

"Oh, It's you..." Naruto sighed in relief.

"Are you okay...?" Sakura asked worryingly, as she noticed he was trembling.

"I'm fine, you don't have to worry about me." Naruto assured her, as a huge smile appeared on his face.

"Okay, if you say so." Sakura nodded, but was unsure. _'There's no way he's fine, he's been acting strange ever since we've returned to the village.'_ she concluded. She pondered it for a minute, but then decided it was best not to worry too much until after they'd completed their mission. She looked up to see Naruto staring at her strangely. Her patience immediately began to grow short.

"NARUTOOOO! STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!" She shouted, as she punched him in the face. He was barely able to choke out, "Wait, Sakura! I didn't mean to-" The punch threw him several feet back. Naruto sat up, as he wined, rubbing his face.

"Ow...Sakura-chan, why did you do that...?"

"WHY DO YOU THINK I DID IT!?" Sakura retorted.

"Jeez..." Naruto muttered, sulking as he got up.

"You guys, we need to go, we're wasting time." Sasuke said, interrupting their thoughts.

"He's right, we need to go." Sakura agreed, as she ran up ahead. Naruto brushed off his pants, then followed them.

_The Ninja Academy_

Iruka stood at the Academy waiting, as Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto appeared, startling him.

"Sorry if we're late, Sensei." Sakura apologized, panting. "We got held back a little."

"I thought you'd never come." Iruka said, smiling. He chuckled.

"Anyways, could you explain the mission?" Sasuke asked. Iruka reached in his pocket, taking out three pictures. He handed one to each of them. Naruto stared at the picture for moment. It was Konohamaru.

"Heyyy, it's that the brat from before. Isn't his name Konohamaru, or something?" Naruto asked.

"Yes their names are Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon."

Sakura had Udon, And Sasuke had Moegi.

"Your mission is to find these kids and bring them back here. I'm counting on you."

"Right!" Sakura responded.

"Got it." Sasuke replied.

Naruto said nothing, he just stood there staring at the picture. _Why won't these thoughts go away? Why couldn't he ignore them? Why did they bother him so much?_

"Naruto...?" Iruka said, very much worried.

"Huh...?" he half-whispered.

"Are you alright...?" Iruka asked.

Naruto decided he couldn't hold it back anymore. It was like when you want to cry, it feels like you have a lump in your throat. Naruto felt that way, only it was alot worse. A mixture of anger and sadness swept over him. Suddenly, he threw down the picture.

"DAMN IT ALL! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" He cursed, as he ran off.

"Wait, Naruto!" Iruka called. "Damn..."

Sasuke's eyes were wide with awe. He was shocked by Naruto's actions. Sakura was as well. They had never seen Naruto get upset like that. He was always so happy, he was always smiling no matter how bad it got. Iruka was pondering the situation; Naruto was very unpredictable right now. He could hurt anyone, including himself. And if he were to release what was inside of him, the whole village would be in great danger.

"Sasuke, go report to the Hokage, and Sakura, go report to Kakashi!" Iruka ordered. However they didn't budge. They both wanted to know what caused Naruto's outburst. _Was it something they had said to him? Could something have occurred during the wave mission that upset him? If not, what?_ They wondered. They wouldn't leave until they knew someone was going to check on him.

"What about Naruto?" Sakura asked, worryingly.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him. Now go!"

"Right!" Sasuke and Sakura replied, as they ran off. Iruka darted back in the Academy. Storming in the classroom he announced that class had been canceled for the day. He smiled for a moment as the kids cheered. But it faded quickly and he was on his way to Naruto's apartment.

_-End of Chapter-_

* * *

**_A/N: What'd ya think? Hope u liked it. REVIEW!_ **


	2. The Truth Revealed

_**Story:** _ _**Shattered Truths, Chapter 2** _

_**Disclaimer:** _ _**I don't own Naruto...** _

* * *

_With Sasuke..._

Sasuke was approaching the Hokage's office, pondering Naruto's actions that day. _'What could have caused him to snap like that?'_ He wondered. _'Could it have been something to do with the wave mission?'_

Sasuke had noticed a rapid change in Naruto's behavior, but he'd had too much pride to admit that he was even _slightly_ worried or that he _d_ _id_ notice.

Sasuke knocked on the Hokage's office door.

''Come in.'' Sandaime said, sighing. Sasuke stepped in, closing the door behind him. Sandaime smirked, cocking an eyebrow.

''Ah, if it isn't Sasuke.'' he smiled.

''Hokage-sama, I need to speak with you.'' Sasuke said.

''Speak your mind.''

''Iruka sent me here to give a report on Naruto. I don't know what upset him, but when we were about to [start](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8119459/2/Shattered-Truths) a mission, he shouted something then ran off. Iruka went after him. That's all I know.''

The Hokage's smile faded after hearing this.

_'Has he_ _finally snapped?'_ he wondered, sadly.

Sandaime had known Naruto ever since he was very little. So he was aware of his mask. Naruto had always tried to hide his [pain](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8119459/2/Shattered-Truths) and suffering from everyone else by acting foolish and pulling pranks. He did it because he didn't want the sympathy from others. He had always tried to get through things on his own, never relying on the help of others for anything. He sighed.

''Thank you, Sasuke.'' he replied. "You're dismissed."

Sasuke was headed toward Naruto's apartment, when he spotted Kakashi and Sakura. Coming towards them, he made certain his facial expressions showed no sign of being worried or frustrated. His normal, calm, unemotional, I'm-better-than-everyone-else look appeared on his face. Kakashi gazed up, after feeling his presence. Sakura did as well.

"He knows." Sasuke notified them. Sakura shook her head.

"Kakashi knows as well." she responded. There was a moment of silence in which Sakura opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Kakashi.

"You two need to report back to Iruka, but first, I need to tell you something. I'm not suppose to talk about it, but as Naruto's teammates, I think you two should know." He said, as he walked towards a bench that was near the Hokage's mansion.

"Set down." he instructed, pointing at the bench. Sakura was the first to set down, followed by Sasuke. He attempted to set on the opposite side of the bench as Sakura, but she quickly scooted over right next to him.

"I'd rather stand..." He grumbled getting up.

"Have either of you heard of the Nine-Tailed Fox?" Kakashi asked them, thinking they probably had. A blank expression appeared on Sakura's face, as she recalled something.

"Oh, you mean the one that nearly whipped out the village around twelve years ago?" She questioned. This caught Sasuke's attention. He had heard of the Nine-Tailed Fox and the damage it had caused to the village. He had also heard about the Fourth Hokage's sacrifice, but didn't know much more about it.

"Yes..." Kakashi answered.

"Didn't the Fourth Hokage sacrifice himself to kill the Nine Tails?" Sakura asked. Kakashi looked away, biting his lip underneath his mask.

"No..." he admitted with an icy tone, that caused them to cringe. "The truth is...the Fourth Hokage didn't ' _kill'_ the nine tails; he couldn't. Even with his power, it was impossible to completely get rid of it. So with the last of his strength, he used a forbidden technique to seal it inside his newborn son, Naruto..." Kakashi explained. There was another moment of silence, only this time it was longer, and would give you an uneasy feeling on your stomach.

"Why...?" Sakura sobbed. "Why would he do that to his own son...?"

Kakashi sighed, not able to find the right words to explain it.

"Let me sum it up," he said. "He believed that by sealing the fox inside of Naruto, he would be able to overcome it's power and use it for something great. He believed that Naruto would bring peace to the Shinobi world. It's sort of like a child of prophecy."

"So if that's true, shouldn't Naruto be regarded as hero?" Sakura asked, confused.

Yes...But the villagers don't think of it that way. As you remember, a lot of lives were took that day, including Shinobi and random villagers. So when people see Naruto, they see him as a demon, not as a person. Naruto has had a worse childhood than you could probably ever imagine. He's been beaten, ridiculed, ignored, told to get away, and shunned for something he couldn't control. He has no parents, so his first 'true' friend was Iruka, and you're about the only other friends he has. Your opinions mean a lot to him. Saying things that you would think wouldn't offend him, could really get him upset. Just think about that the next time you're about to fuss at him. Oh, and whatever you do, don't let anyone know that I've told you this." Kakashi warned, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Sakura was staring at the ground, thinking about Naruto and how bad she'd treated him. She now knew why he had such big mouth. He was trying to get people to notice him. That must have also been why he was always reckless and pulled pranks. She had known that he had no parents, but never knew that had went through that much suffering. That's when a brief flashback came to mind from when she was only sixor seven years old.

_**-** _ _**Flashblack -** _

_She stood in a huge crowd of villagers, holding her mother's hand. People around her were whispering amongst themselves, and pointing fingers. The pink haired girl couldn't help, but notice the glares, and looks of fear in some of the people. She managed to move just right so she could see what they were talking_ _about._

_Up ahead, she spotted a_ _mere child probably about her age, walking through the streets. He skipped through the streets, a cheerful smile plastered on to his face. He had_ _bright blond hair could challenge the sun any day._

_She had seen him once before, when she went to pick up something for her father. He was setting by himself on a bench. It looked like he had tears in his eyes, but then her thought changed when she considered that it was probably just the light._

" _There, do you see_ _him...?" she was snapped out her thoughts, as she_ _overheard a_ _woman next to her whisper._ _"_ _It's that boy..."_

_'He's just a child...' thought Sakura. 'but they glare at him as if_ _he's some kind traitor to the village...'_

_Before she could think about it any longer, she was abruptly_ _pulled away by her mother._

_**\- End of Flashblack -** _

_'Naruto...'_ _Sakura_ thought. ' _If I'd only known...'_

Sasuke sat, his mind flooded with a mixture of guilt and shock. He wished he would've been at least little nicer to Naruto. He had always insulted him, and called him names, not knowing, or even stopping to think that, just _maybe,_ Naruto had been through a lot more than what he'd thought. He had noticed Naruto was always smiling, and never once wanted the sympathy from others. ' _But why...?'_ he wondered. ' _Why would he hide his feelings like that? It makes no since...'_ He wanted to make it up to Naruto, but didn't know how. _'Damn, if it I'd only known...'_

* * *

_**A/N: What did you think? Review.** _


	3. Pain of the Unknown

_**Story:** _ _**Shattered Truths, Chapter 3** _

_**Disclaimer:** _ _**I don't own Naruto** _

* * *

_Naruto's Apartment_

Iruka stood at the door to Naruto's apartment,.

"Naruto?" he called, pushing the door, as he realized it had been left open. He looked around at the condition of the house, as he noticed there were a couple of holes in the wall, a window was shattered in the back, graffiti on the walls with things like _'Demon!' 'Monster!'_ or _'Why don't you just die._ He stopped dead in his tracks, as he saw Naruto laying on the floor of the [kitchen](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8119459/3/Shattered-Truths), staring at the ceiling with a dazed expression.

'Naruto...' he mused with concern, as he took notice of the dried up blood on the boy's knuckles, which signified he'd been punching something. _Something hard._ Crouching down beside him, he faced his student. They sat in silence for the next few minutes, as he studied his face. He could easily tell he had been crying. His eyes were red and swollen.

''Iruka-sensei...'' Naruto murmured in a dead, emotionless voice, as he continued to stare at the ceiling. Iruka looked at him with tears in the corners his eyes.

''What is it, Naruto...?''

" _Kill me..._ " Naruto muttered, barely loud enough for Iruka to hear. A cold chill ran down the teacher's spine. His eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. Following it, a long eerie silence settled between the two. He was utterly shocked. The boy who never gave up, _WAS_ giving up. _What could've upset him to the point of this...?_ he wondered. He shook his head, for he would _never_ kill Naruto. He would rather die, himself, than have to kill _any_ of his students.

"Why...?" he choked. "Why would you-"

"It was my fault." Naruto interrupted, answering the question he'd been about to ask.

" _What_ was your fault...?" Iruka question, however, there was no reply. Naruto mumbled something beneath his breath, when there was a sudden knock on the door. Iruka looked up, asking who it was.

"It's us." Sakura answered from behind the door.

"Come on in!" Iruka invited them in, still observing Naruto from the corner of his eye. Sakura stepped in first, followed by Sasuke. They both stopped, noticing the damage that had been done to the walls, the insults that were were [painted](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8119459/3/Shattered-Truths), and the shattered window. They also noted that there wasn't much that Naruto owned besides his clothes, his bed, the little food he had, and the small brown table in the kitchen, which looked as if the paint was chipping off.

Sakura studied her teammate in pity. She now realized that villagers were not only ignoring him and insulting him, but also they had also been taking his stuff, and damaging his home. Sasuke looked away, not paying attention to the look on his face. In fact, he _wanted_ Naruto to know that he was sorry.

"Damn it..." the blond muttered, turning over. He couldn't bear to face the, for he was afraid of them insulting him, or that they would be mad at him for ruining the mission. He buried his head beneath his arms. Iruka gently placed his hand on Naruto's back, hoping it would calm him down. Sasuke slowly sat down, followed by Sakura. They sat in silence for several minutes before Sakura broke it.

"Naruto...Kakashi-sensei told us about the Nine Tails..." she said softly. "He told us not to tell anyone that we knew, but we think you should know."

Naruto's clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his skin. _Damn you, Kakashi!_

Iruka's eyes widened. _You told them! Kakashi, you..._

"I finally beginning to realize how much you must've went through. I hadn't even stopped to consider how much you could've been suffering...You've never had that many friends, so our opinion must've meant a lot to you...I'm so sorry..." Sakura apologized sincerely.

Another moment of silence. Sasuke then came to the decision that he needed to speak too.

"Naruto... I have admit. I've never really considered your feelings. All I knew was that you had no family, which was the exact opposite of me. It wasn't until just now that I realized something important. Losing friends and loved ones is painful, but the absence of knowing what it feels like to _have_ loved ones hurts even more. To have that warmth, and reassuring comfort. It lets you know that people are there for you, and that there's someone who cares. For that to be absent, the extent of your suffering has proved to be greater than even my own... I...apologize for what I've said..." he finished softly.

Naruto seemed to grow a little less tense, seeing that they understood the way he'd felt, but it didn't last long, as there were still so many questions going through his mind. Some of which he knew they would _never_ be able to answer.

Iruka was aware that he needed to report to the Hokage about everything that had happened, but wasn't sure if it was safe to leave Naruto alone with only two Genin.

"Sasuke, Sakura, I need to go speak with the Hokage about something, do you two mind staying here until I get back?" he asked. Sasuke and Sakura looked up, nodding.

"Yeah..." Sasuke replied.

"Of course." Sakura added.

_~End of Chapter~_

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**A/N:** **Hope you liked it review :3**

 


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